Reyna's Rise
by seastar97
Summary: Reyna's rise from an ordinary new camper, to praetor and Jason Grace's best friend. *UPDATED WEEKLY* Major Jeyna. Rated T for possible sexy situations. REVIEWS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. -Seastar97
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, my lovely reader. Um, I'm not good at intros, but this is my second Percy Jackson fic... The first one didn't so so well. I wasn't originally intending on publishing this, but I think I have some really good ideas, so I cleaned it up a little bit, and *bugles & applause* here we are! Reyna's Rise! Hopefully the same isn't too stupid. I litterally thought of it while I was half asleep. I was, like, litterally lying in my bed thinking about this, and the name just popped into my mind. TMI. ANYway... I hope you like this. Excuse any grammatical errors, I typed half of this on my iTouch notes while I was listening to Adele... REVIEW, definitely, and correct me on any like, plot mistakes. I tried to do as much background research on this as I could before I started. It's not too late to change anything. Before I forget, like I always do:**

**DISCLAIMER: Although I love Rick Riordan's characters, I don't want anyone to think that I made them up, because I could get sued for copyright. That's why I do disclaimers. So: I don't own Reyna or Hylla or anyone like that. All credit goes to Rick Riordan.**

**And now... **

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><p><strong><em><span>CHAPTER 1<span>_**

Reyna panted as she and her sister Hylla splashed madly into a little river, the last barrier between them and their final destination. She couldn't believe how far Blackbeard's minions had followed them.

Since Reyna and Hylla had reached the door, escape looked more than hopeful - and appealing - but neither of the sisters were used to walking the homestretch. It was either run all or run nothing.

Reyna felt bad for forcing the guards at that door to fend for themselves, but she was entirely out of steam. Hylla, her older sister, collapsed on the ground next to her, clutching for her hand, gasping for air like a fish out of water. Reyna pulled her back up.

Neither, thought Reyna, had ever looked so disheveled. The sisters were dead ringers. They were often mistaken for twins, although Hylla always stated they looked {nothing} alike. Reyna couldn't deny the similarities; they both had peachy skin, and pink lips, though Hylla's were pulled back in a snarl more than her sisters than her sister's; they both had long black hair that fell down their backs in waves, when it wasn't polluted with dirt and grime, and possibly various pieces of opponents.

A girl with red hair in two braids, which bounced against her shoulders, ran up.

"Jupiter Optimus Maximus, are you two alright?" She knelt in front of Reyna and felt her dirty forehead like an over-protective parent, although she wasn't much older-looking.

Reyna couldn't catch her breath, so Hylla spoke.

"Lupa told us to come here," she panted heavily. "We've completed our training."

The redhead nodded. "What's got you running for your lives, though? Not that we don't have cases like this a lot..." she trailed off. "Tell you what," she said. "We'll cleaned you up and get you to Nina. You can tell her the whole story. I'm Gwen, by the way."

People were attempting to push their way through the crowds, but the few with sense held the others back. They were very orderly, Reyna thought, even when two strangers had burst into their camp totally unannounced and uninvited.

A boy, probably a little younger than, prodded his way front and center. He smiled. "Well, what have we here?" his teeth were pinkish white, like he had just eaten a whole pound of extra red beets.

"What are your names?" Gwen asked.

"I'm Hylla," Hylla said. "This is my sister, Reyna." She pointed to Reyna.

"Charmed." Dakota flashed his pink teeth again in a smile.

Gwen elbowed the smile right off his face. "Dakota. Take them to the baths."

So Reyna and Hylla were led to the baths. Reyna was hesitant, and jumped in with her filthy clothes still on, and Hylla refused to even put more than a toe in the water without everyone clearing out. Soon enough, though, they were both clean; their black hair was luminous and twig-free; their pale skin was much paler than it had been, in the absence of months of collective dirt.

Gwen handed Reyna a purple T-shirt which read "Camp Jupiter", and a pair of worn jeans, then gave Hylla an identical outfit. "You two clean up nicely," she said approvingly. "Don't pay any attention to Dakota, or any of the other boys. They're constantly trying to woo the pretty ones." Reyna wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but Hylla smiled.

"So, you're going to take us to Nina now?" she asked. Reyna watched her sister carefully. She couldn't believe how easily Hylla was going along with the plan, especially when it was being issued to her by someone who obviously wasn't much, if at all, older. She usually wasn't one to just let things be laid out in front of her. If Hylla wasn't putting up a fight... At this moment, Reyna made the decision to trust the people of Camp Jupiter.

"Exactly." Gwen beamed. "Right this way."

She led them away from the baths - Reyna was disappointed that she didn't get to try out the spa or sauna - and toward a group of buildings. "This is the _principia_."

Gwen opened the door to the largest building and ushered them inside. Once the door closed and Reyna stepped out from behind her sister, she could see two throne-like chairs behind a big oak desk. The only difference was that they had wheels for easy rolling, and little bit of fun. The girl occupying the left chair didn't look like she was capable of having much fun, though.

"Nina," Gwen said.

The girl looked up from filing her nails. She raised a perfect chocolate-brown eyebrow when she saw Reyna and Hylla standing before her.

"Yes, Octavian informed me of their arrival." The girl - Nina's - voice was surprisingly high-pitched and nasal. Her eyes raked the new girl eagerly. She smiled. "Which is Reyna, which is Hylla? Octavian gave me your names."

Hylla raised her hand. "I'm Hylla."

"Well, Hylla, you've arrived just in time for muster. Gwen, take them the mess hall. This is our guests' last night here. I will speak to them during the War Games." Nina didn't even bother addressing Reyna.

Gwen murmured something like, _"__Thank__the__gods,__" _then, "yes, Nina. Come on, guys."

"What's muster?" Hylla asked as they exited the building. "And why does Nina get a throne?"

"Muster is just before dinner. You'll see when we get there," Gwen explained, "and Nina gets a throne because she's praetor."

"And she needs two thrones?"

"The other is Blake's, the other praetor."

"'Other praetor'?" Hylla asked. Reyna was still silent.

"There are two. Have you ever studied Roman government?"

Hylla shook her head.

Gwen sighed. "Maybe Octavian can explain it to you. But, for starters, there are two praetors and a senate. Like the Federal government. Romans started all that complicated politics business."

"I don't like politics," Hylla muttered.

A horn blew. "Come on," Gwen urged picking up her pace. "We don't want to be late."

Just around the corner, in front of a big building that had a plaque that read 'Mess Hall', five groups of kids was standing in full armor. One was separated from the rest, scrambling to put themselves together. Gwen took her place beside Dakota in that group, and he helped her into her armor.

"Here's Gwen!" he shouted.

Everyone was staring apprehensively at another cluster, seated in comfy-looking chairs in the middle of the mess hall. They were all women – big women in full armor, smirking coolly, like they all new one giant secret that the campers didn't, like how they got their muscles so big. Worst of all, they all seemed to being looking at Reyna and Hylla. Reyna guessed these were the "guests" Nina had been referring to.

A boy in a purple toga circled around one of the groups. He didn't seem phased by the humongous ladies. Then he spotted Reyna and Hylla, who were waiting awkwardly where Gwen had left them. He walked over to where they were they stood.

"Thank you, Dakota." He eyed everyone in the group - the last of five - distastefully. Then he smiled at the sisters. "Welcome," he said brightly. "I am Keith, praetor of the Twelfth Legion. Nina and Octavian told me of your presence, and I have been informed that you are completely trustworthy." While Reyna didn't doubt her own trustworthiness, she wondered how Keith could be so sure.

Nina entered the group with a small boy trailing behind her. He looked to be about nine of ten years old, a skinny little thing whose XXS armor barely fit him. But when he spoke, he spoke with authority.

"Reyna and Hylla," he said. His voice was deeper than seemed possible. "I've been expecting you."

Keith glared at the little boy. "Of course you have. Thank you for joining us, at last, Octavian."

"You've been anticipating their arrival, Octavian?" Nina raised an eyebrow, "and yet, you've told neither Keith nor I?"

"Of course, I considered it, but as you've been questioning my abilities of late…"

"It's not my fault you couldn't predict that Keith would..."

"I will not have anyone question my credibility!" Octavian said. "But enough about me." He turned to face Hylla and her sister, staring Reyna full in the face. "I think we should learn a bit more about these two ladies." Octavian had an evil glint in his eyes. "Reyna Victoria Bernard," he began robotically. "Father: a mortal. Mother: A Roman goddess. Origin –"

"That's enough, Octavian." Nina had a stern look on her face. A boy from the last group on the end made a _cut__it__out_gesture. "Hylla and her sister can divulge their history, or choose to keep it to themselves – depending on who their references are. I'm assuming you were directed here by a veteran camper and encountered trouble along the way?"

"Lupa sent them herself," Gwen spoke up. "At least, that's what Hylla told me."

An excited murmur rose from the campers. Keith looked at Octavian. "Is it true? Did you see this?"

"I believe them," Nina interjected. "Who would like to stand for Hylla Bernard?"

At least three campers from each assemblage raised their hands and shouted some kind of claim.

"It appears you have a choice to make," Nina said to Hylla. "You have the First Cohort, the Second, the Third, the Fourth, and the _Fifth._" She said fifth like, _"__and__my__baby__brother__'__s__diaper.__" _

One of the big ladies stood. "As you know, tonight is the Amazon's last night here at Camp Jupiter." She didn't have a deep, raspy voice like Reyna expected she would; it was actually pretty normal, almost seductive, like Circe's. "And of course you promised that if any new campers arrived…"

"Stake your claim, Queen Lydia. I doubt either will accept," Keith said.

The queen raised her hand and said, "I will stand for Hylla Bernard."

Everyone gazed at Hylla expectantly. "Gods…" she looked nauseous. "I… don't know anything about this place. I don't know…"

"It's simple," Octavian spoke up from the First Cohort, "first is the best, fifth is the worst. Take your pick."

Gwen made an indignant noise.

"What about them? The Amazons?"

Queen Lydia smiled. "I'm glad you asked, my dear. It seems that, in society, women are looked down upon by men." Every male in the room looked offended. "We are regarded as the weaker species. The Amazons are an independent group of women who…" Lydia proceeded to give a soul-searching speech in her lulling voice about the Amazonian practices. Reyna had heard it all before on Circe's island. _We__renounce__the__company__of__men.__Men__are__pigs._ If it weren't for her pride, they would be here right now. Besides, what was so bad about men?

Hylla looked enchanted. "Reyna, it's just like home."

Reyna shook her head. "I wouldn't go back home if you paid me."

"I want to go with the Amazons!" Hylla announced. Reyna gaped. All the campers, the praetors, Octavian, Gwen, Dakota, and Cut-It-Out Boy gaped.

"You're sure?" Keith asked unsteadily, putting a hand on Hylla's shoulder.

She scooted out from under his hand. "I am."

Nina looked disappointed. "Very well. Who will stand for Reyna Bernard?"

Hands shot up in the air again. Queen Lydia raised hers. Reyna looked around. Even Cut-It-Out Boy's hand was up. Her heart was beating fast. Hylla was going with the Amazons… Reyna didn't think she could handle a replay of her old life. It was time to try something new, even without her sister. Cut-It-Out Boy's smile was the last thing she needed.

"I choose the Third Cohort."

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><p><strong>I was kind of expecting this to look a lot longer than it does... oh well. Anyway, I hope you likes it. I can't impress upon you enough how much I appreciate reviews. I just want to know what you think about my work. I'm really passionate about writing. Um , you can favorite this story, favorite and subscribe to me as an author when you review, I'd like that a lot :)). You cna also check out my other fics... The Other Side and Flattery are still in business, and I plan on updating them soon. THANKS! <strong>

**Also, I tried my best to find which cohort Reyna was in before she was a praetor, but I didn't see anything, so I just threw her in the middle. I know, it's kind of stupid because she was probably in the Fifth with Jason, but I couldn't decided. **You can vote on A) First (B) Second (C) Third (D) Fourth, and (E) Fifth, just by leaving a review. Amazing, right? I don't even care you only review with a letter! (That's how desperate I am). Anywho...

**Chao**

**-Seastar**


	2. Author's Note

**Hello to my lovely readers! :D. I am really pleased with the turnout of the first chapter! 10 reviews, was it? That's AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I woke up in the middle of the night when my phone made that email noise, and I checked it and it was like 23 emails about Reyna's Rise! I was like OMGOMGOMGOMG! I'm, like, psyched. **

**Um, I have a stupid question to ask: What are the names of the wind spirit who serve the food in the Mess Hall? Oh, yeah, and what other games do they play after dinner besides the war games? I'm sure they said, but I don't have the book and I don't remember.**

**I will definitely have the next chapter ready by tomorrow night. In case you're interested, I am in the middle of a chapter for The Other Side, and Flattery both, and I'm, on break, so I have plenty of time to update those. I'm looking forward to more reviews, LOL. :). If you have any complaints, you can review them to me, or PM them to me. All criticism is welcome. **

**THANKS again!**

**-seastar**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello! Haha, chapter 2! I didn't even think that I would have it ready, but I do! I'm seriously psyched right now. I just watched, like, 20 Pentatonix' songs. You guys watch the Sing-Off, right? That's not the point. Anyway, I'm too lazy to put a full disclaimer, so I don't own Jayna or Reyson - Reyna or Jason :) - or SON or TLH (I don't know why, but I totally blanked out on that name just now and I had to Google it). So, don't sue me, just read and review :D**

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><p>Reyna figured everyone would be pleased with her choice. The Third cohort was right in the middle. She was wrong.<p>

Cut-It-Out Boy looked crushed. Gwen and Dakota, looked betrayed, and Octavian was shooting her a dirty look. The Second and Fourth cohorts looked defeated, like they knew they'd never really stood much of a chance. The only happy-looking cohort was the Third. They did some kind of Roman-style wave with their shields.

"Very well," Nina said. "Is that your final decision?"

Reyna looked at her sister. She seemed impassive. "I guess." Her voice cracked. Great.

"Very well," Nina repeated. "I'd like to see you and your sister, if she'll join us, in the Principia after dinner. The rest of you," she added, "will continue with War Games tonight, as planned. You are dismissed."

Reyna stormed over to Hylla and the Amazons, who were filtering into the Mess Hall.

"What is the matter with you?" She demanded. "We don't know anything about the Amazons, and now you're letting them take you away? Do you even know where they're going when they leave?"

"We don't know anything about this camp, or the campers in the Third cohort, but you still chose them! And I am I giving you grief over it? No!" Hylla's face was an angry red.

"We're already here at the camp. Lupa sent us here. It's safe. How do you know that you didn't just trade yourself for a human sacrifice or something?"

Hylla sighed. "I have a feeling they're not like that."

"YOU HAVE A FEELING?" People were staring now. "I HAVE A FEELING THAT YOU'RE IN FOR A HECK OF A LOT MORE TROUBLE THAN I AM! WHO ARE YOU? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE OLDER, WISER ONE!"

"Reyna, shut up!" Hylla scolded.

"You stay here, then!"

"No. It'll be just like home. I wasn't ready to leave. Come with me, Reyna."

_It's__all__that__boy's__fault_, Reyna thought furiously. _If__he__hadn't__come__barging__in__with__that__blonde__and__gotten__the__great__idea__to__free__Blackbeard,__this__never__would__have__happened!_

"I can't believe that you'd be so easily fooled. You're a fool, Hylla - a FOOL. And if you think I'm coming with you, if you think it will be anything like home at all, you're an even bigger one that I thought."

Hylla looked close to tears. She said nothing as she entered the Mess Hall.

Reyna stared after her, her arms crossed, and a painfully deep scowl on her face. How could her sister leave her? Although she stood in the center of the entry way, everyone carefully avoided her. Somebody put a hand on her shoulder. Gwen.

"I'm sorry, she said."I wanted you to know that the Amazons won't use your sister as a human sacrifice, though. Did you see the on with the long black hair? That's Sheila. She joined around the same time I came to camp."

"Thanks," Reyna mumbled.

"It's a shame we'll never get to know Hylla, though."

Reyna was about to reply when Cut-It-Out Boy appeared next to Gwen.

"Guess what?" he said, his blue eyes twinkling. They were unnaturally blue, like the water around Circe's Island. As Rena watched his mouth move, she noticed a puckered scar on the left side of his lip.

"What, Jason?" She shoved a thumb in Reyna's direction, cluing him in.

"Oh. Sorry. Anyway, I have awesome news for the tonight's War Games. I can lift Hannibal now!"

Gwen nodded, impressed. "Wonderful."

"And I can summon lightning. Yesterday," he added conspiratorially, "I got Octavian - right in the butt!"

Gwen laughed. "I guess we really are armed with lightning, aren't we, kid?"

"Exactly!" He glanced at Reyna. "Thanks for helping us out, back there."

Reyna scowled. "Well, _sorry._I wasn't sure whether or not to take Octavian seriously when he said that the Fifth was the worst. Especially since he seemed to know everything about me!"

"Whatever." Jason held his hands up in surrender and walked past them into the Mess Hall.

"C'mon, I'll introduce you to your cohort," Gwen proposed.

Reyna sat awkwardly on a plush leather couch, a plate of food in her lap. She'd asked for what everyone else was having from the swirling wind spirits - Aurae, Gwen had called them - who were serving everyone's food: A hotdog and curly fries. It looked like you could have anything you happened to be in the mood for, though; Gwen was having sushi, and Hylla was having her favorite meal that Circe used to prepare: Egg rolls and noodles. She wondered if they were filled with hamster meat, like Circe's. It was incredible that Hylla could miss that.

"Reyna, this is Hank," Gwen said, breaking her train of thought. "Hank, this is Reyna."

Hank smiled. "Nice to meet you, Reyna," he said with a southern accent. His grey eyes were warm. "Welcome to the Third."

"Gwen, you're not so welcome."

Reyna turned her head and saw a curly-haired blonde. She looked kind of like... She refused to even think about it.

"Vivian." The girl stuck her arm out. She had a country accent like Hank's, and the same grey eyes. "Centurion of the Third, daughter of Minerva - and no friend of the Fifth." She shot a glare at Gwen while she shook Reyna's sweaty hand.

"What's a Centurion?" Reyna asked.

Vivian made a tut-tut noise. "I can see how well your new friend has educated you. A Centurion is like a head counselor, if you will. The leader of the cohort, the overseer of the barrack. You do know about the barracks?"

"Nina has promised to tell her everything," Gwen interrupted before she could get banged any further.

Vivian nodded apathetically. "Why don't you run along to your sorry little cohort and leave me my camper?"

"Viv," Hank started.

"Hush, Hank. I don't know what daddy would think if he saw you mixing with - with scum like this."

Vivian might as well have slapped Gwen in the face. She took off running with her invisible tail between her legs.

"Goddess of goodness, what were you doing with her, dear?" Vivian demanded of Reyna, stealing a fry off her plate.

"Gwen helped me and my sister when we first got into the camp," Reyna said defensively. "I like her." More than you, she wanted to add.

"She's a lot nicer than you, Viv," Hank agreed.

"Honey, maybe once you've gotten a good night's sleep, you'll be able to see who you're real friends are. And Hank, hush." Vivian put her feet up.

"Just because Gwen is in the Fifth doesn't mean she's some kind of demon. It's not she was the one who lost -"

"Not another word," Vivian warned her brother. A horn blew out side. "You don't have any armor, Reyna."

"I'm not playing tonight." Nina wants to see me." She wasn't completely sure that she wanted to participate in the 'War Games' anyway.

"You'd better get some by tomorrow," Hank advised. "It's paintball."

Reyna nodded. "Don't worry. It's on my to-do list."

"So, Blackbeard was returned to normal size, and boy was he mad. He tried to kill us, but I kind of just... Knew how to stay alive. So did Reyna. He ran us off the island and blew it up. We swam to safety, and we ended up finding Lupa, who directed us here." Reyna still wouldn't look at her sister.

Nina nodded. "Very interesting." She rummaged around in a desk drawer and pulled out a tomb stone-shaped tablet made of black metal. "Reyna, since you're staying," she said in her nasally voice, "I have something for you." She held out the piece of metal. It had a leather cord strung through a hole, as if it was to worn around your neck. "There's really no chance of you staying with us, Hylla? I admit, you would be a late recruit at fifteen, but..."

"I've made my decision," Hylla confirmed.

"I respect that. Reyna, this is your _probatio_ tablet. You will have it until you get your first stripe." She held out her arm so that Reyna could see. On her right forearm, she had a tattoo with four vertical lines, like a barcode, almost. Above the lines were four letters: SPQR. Below the lines was a symbol that looked like a stalk of wheat.

Nina pointed out the details. "SPQR. An antonym for Senate and People of Rome - in Latin, of course. Four stripes; I came to camp four years ago. You get one every year. See the extra thick one? That is for one year of being a praetor. And the wheat -" she pointed to it - "Is for my mother, Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and the harvest.

"There's three ways to earn your first stripe. One, if you don't already know your godly parent, they can claim you. Two, a heroic deeds can be committed, and three, the easiest, you can remain at Camp Jupiter for one year. Any questions?"

Reyna nodded. "What's a praetor?"

Nina smiled. Reyna sensed another lecture. "Long ago, in the newly founded city of Rome, lived twelve Legions. In an epic battle, only one survived. The Twelfth. Each Legion had -"

"Two praetors," Hylla interrupted. "The Twelfth Legion is this camp, right? That's why there are two praetors."

"Yes," Nina agreed grudgingly. "Praetors are reelected when one of two things happens. One of the current praetor's dies, or is killed in battle, or the Feast of Fortuna rolls around and they're still alive. Unfortunately, when I was elected, our previous praetor, Stephanie, was killed in a particularly brutal War Games. That was the last time the Fifth won." She said it like an omen.

"Alright," Reyna said in exasperation, "what is the deal with the Fifth Cohort? Nobody likes them."

"That's a story for another time," Nina said. "I would, however, like to congratulate you on your choice of the Third Cohort. It is... Very esteemed, in my opinion."

"Great," Reyna said. Now there was no chance of her getting switched.

"Have you been assigned a barrack yet?" Nina asked.

Reyna shook her head. "I did meet Vivian, my Centurion, though."

"Vivian is one of my good friends. You'll be in her barrack, the first of the Third. It'll make more sense when you see it, I promise."

Reyna hoped so.

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><p><strong>Kind of a random ending, but that's what I got. I SWEAR, I will update Flattery tomorrow or the day after (this is more of a promise for myself than y'all. Haha). I need to get back in the swing of things. I have an outline for the next 6 chapters and counting, so if anyone wants to look over it and beta for me... That would be much appreciated. I have a cool prophecy written, if that's any motivation! Um, yeah, check out my other stories, Flattery and The Other Side, the names of which I refuse to italicize because they are not nearly as awesome as the litterary masterpieces they continue :). That's all! Chao.<strong>

**-Seastar97**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys. It's the middle of the night... I don't really have much to say. Um, if you have any questions, review or PM! Now READ!**

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><p>Reyna lay in her bunk in the Third Cohort barrack. She couldn't sleep – Vivian was talking it up to her boyfriend, Colton, in the middle of the room. The girls weren't allowed on the guys' side of the room, and the guys weren't allowed on the girls', but Viv and Colton were making it clear that the center was fair game. Reyna wondered if she could switch Cohorts. Maybe the Fifth would suit her better. At first, she'd tried to convince herself that she'd learn to love Hank and sister arguing at 3 a.m., but now she was pretty sure she didn't belong here. Gwen and Octavian were the only people to have really taken the time to talk to her in the past three weeks. Octavian seemed nice enough, if she looked past the fact that he knew everything about her, probably things she didn't even know herself, like who her father was.<p>

And all her ever wanted to talk about the dirt on the Fifth. Not that Reyna could really complain. She knew everything now – Michael Varus had lost the Legion's Golden Eagle in a 1980 something quest to fulfill a prophecy. He was in the Fifth, so the Fifth was disgraced. That was the gist of it, although Octavian's versions got more and more extreme each time she talked to him.

Reyna rolled over to her side, shifting her pillow. Under it, she heard the letter from Hylla crumpling. Her sister was getting along great with the Amazons, which she resented. She had promised to find out more about their heritage, like, what happened before they came to Circe's Island.

Hylla had said she remembered Reyna as a baby, a house, a home, maybe. They had been sure Circe could tell them more, but she never said anything but, "You're fortunate that your father entrusted me with the two of you. You might not have survived if he didn't." Then she would smile and walk off. Great parenting skills.

Reyna felt her _probatio_ tablet, yawning. She had to get rid of this thing. She wondered who her mom was. She'd narrowed it down to about a million female goddesses. Gwen had told her that Nina had said that she thought she had an idea, but she wouldn't say anything more. It was so frustrating for Reyna to watch the other kids get claimed. It seemed like less and less of them were wearing _probatio_ tablets. If Reyna had come knowing who her mom was, if Circe had told her, she would've had to wear on of these in the first place. And she didn't see herself committing any "heroic deeds," or even staying at camp for a whole year.

Pulling her blankets over her, trying to ward off the chill, and the sounds of Vivian and Colton going at it in the middle of the floor, Reyna drifted off to sleep.

When she woke up the next morning, she headed straight for the baths. It was so early, that no one was in any of the showers or tubs, or spa. She steered clear of the spa – the whole place screamed _Circe_at her – but the sauna looked inviting enough.

She knew exactly how it worked, and soon her _"__Aches,__pains__and__cares__melted__away,__" _exactly as advertised on the door.

By the time Reyna got back to the cabin, only Hank, and a few others whose names she was struggling to remember, were left.

Lacey, who looked even younger than her, stared in awe as Reyna combed out her long black hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. She left that bangs loose like she always did. Hylla was always telling her it looked better that way.

Hank smile at her, and Ash grinned like an idiot. Reyna tried to smile at the ragtag bunch – they were outcasts as much as she was in the Third – Hank because he probably hadn't had a choice because of his sister, and his _daddy_, and the rest probably just hadn't known not to go Third, like she hadn't.

"It's time for breakfast," Hank said.

Reyna nodded.

They walked past the other four cohorts' barracks, and then the Fifth's, which was cozily situated by the dumpsters and the place where the keepers usually dragged Hannibal the elephant's dung.

"Are the Fifth cohort's barracks over there because of –"

"The Eagle?" Hank finished. "Yeah. Just don't let Vivian hear you talking about it. The only person who ever does it Octavian and some others from the First. They have a reputable mean streak."

"I'll keep that in mind," Reyna said.

In the Mess Hall, Reyna spotted Gwen talking to Keith. There went her usual meal-mate. Octavian and Jason were sitting in a corner, nibbling on sausages.

"Hey," Reyna said when she sat down. She'd procured a banana nut muffin from one of passing _aurae,_and she broke a piece off, putting in her mouth. Walnuts – yuck. Circe had always made them with pecans.

Octavian smiled. "Good morning, Reyna," he said.

"Yeah," Jason agreed, then mumbled something like _traitor_ under his breath.

They didn't say anything else to her, just continued with their argument – what was going to be on the next Roman arts test. They fought like brothers. Hank had told Reyna that Octavian hated the Fifth, and Jason was definitely from the Fifth – proud of it, too. That didn't make sense. But, then when Gwen, from the Fifth, had started talking to Reyna, Octavian had cozied right up to her. Was it because he was trying to steal her?

Reyna's suspicions were confirmed when Gwen came over and sat down. Octavian glared, whispered, _"__Michael__Varus,__"_ very audibly, then he struck it up with Reyna.

"So," he said, "what are you planning on doing during your free time today?"

"I… um," Reyna started, completely sure of her options. Certain days Terminus was ticked at campers and wouldn't let them through to the city… She was still sore from Deathball yesterday, so extra training was out of the question.

She was saved from answering when Gwen said, "No free time today, kids. Keith just called a meeting – during free time."

"I don't recall anyone asking you, Gwendolyn," Octavian said.

"Gwen's just giving us a head's up," Jason defended. "It's called _being__friendly_, you goat head."

Octavian ran a hand through his hair. "Last I checked, I don't have any horns." He smiled a little at his own – not funny – joke. "Maybe tomorrow, Reyna."

"Yeah," she agreed lamely.

Jason and Reyna had the same sword-skills class, so they left the dining room at the same time, like they had been for the last week.

"Hank says Octavian doesn't like the Fifth," Reyna said as they exited the building. They weren't attracting as many stares as they had been – the new girl and the son of Jupiter. "How come he's friends with you?"

"I wouldn't say that he's friends with me." Unlike other people Reyna had asked, Jason didn't have a problem with her prying. "It's more like an I'm-nice-to-him-and-he-doesn't-dump-on-me kind of relationship."

"Kindness doesn't seem to make a difference when it comes to Gwen," Reyna remarked.

"Octavian likes to have powerful friends. Gwen's not powerful. He needs her about as much as I need – mascara, or some other girly thing, like a bra."

Reyna laughed. "So, you're not in it for the life-long companionship?"

"Not really. I mean, it's kind of sad when you see Octavian strutting around the place like he owns it, but the only friends he has are at least ten years older than him. He's not _that_bad, once you get to know him. About as annoying your average Chihuahua. So, what _were_ you planning on doing during free time?"

"I don't know," Reyna admitted, "but it doesn't really matter now."

"Put your back into it!" Carson ordered the campers, "especially you, Reyna. You need some muscle on you."

Reyna loped her dummy's head off with one stroke and stared at Carson in defiance. _How__'__s__that?_She wasn't sure if it was his British accent or just his attitude that made her imagine his face on the cloth head.

"Nice one, rookie. Beginner's luck. Watch the son of Jupiter over there."

Everyone turned to look at Jason, who calmly skillfully disconnecting everything from his third dummy, leaving only the torso on the metal rod, which made it look like it had a stick up its butt. Then he stuck his tongue out at Reyna. Maybe he had a stick up his butt as well.

Reyna rolled her eyes, and turned back to her dummy as everyone laughed. Although she wouldn't be the first to admit it, Reyna knew she wasn't the best at sword fighting. In an actual battle, though, she knew exactly what to do, like it was instilled in her blood. Too bad there weren't too many actual battles…

Jason found Reyna after class was over, even though she was trying to slouch her embarrassment off by being the last to leave the locker room. "That was some pretty awesome sword swinging you were doing in there." He laughed, the scar next to his mouth puckering.

"Shut up," Reyna mumbled, looking at the ground. "I'm not a natural-born sword fighter, like you. And besides, I've only been here a few weeks. Give me a chance."

"Hey, I've got an idea," Jason said suddenly, his blue eyes lighting up – not that Reyna was watching them or anything. "How about tomorrow, during free time, I coach you?"

"I don't know," Reyna said, stretching a sore muscle in her shoulder. "I'm too sore. Besides, Octavian acted like he wanted to spend free time with me."

"Octavian _acted_ like he wanted to spend free time with you. Are you too weak to do a little extra training?"

Reyna was about to say "yes," when the horns sounded outside the _principia._

"Crap," they both said at the same time, and took off running.

Jason and Reyna were both panting by the time they took their places at roll call.

"Hank Hollis," Keith called out. When Hank raised his hand, he moved on. "Vivian Hollis. Reyna Bernard." Reyna raised her hand.

After roll call was finished, Nina called the meeting to order. "This morning, we received a distress call from the Amazons."

The cohorts murmured excitedly. Everyone seemed to know what this meant except for Reyna. All she could think about was her sister. Hank turned to her. "This could mean a quest," he explained.

Someone had told Reyna about quests. If there was going to be one, there was no way she was going to be left behind. Not when Hylla was in danger.

"They requested our help – one camper's help, specifically. The senate came to a draw as to whether to issue a quest or not. All in favor, say aye!"

"AYE!" Almost every camper tried to out-scream or deafen their neighbor.

"Those not in favor, say nay."

It was silent aside from a few centurions stating "nay" unenthusiastically.

"Alright, Octavian." Keith pulled a large lumpy sack from behind a building. It looked like a small house.

"You have that many stuffed animals in your praetor's house?" Nina asked.

"No," Keith retorted, "I got these from Gwen."

Everyone laughed and Gwen turned beet red.

Octavian stepped up to a small altar off to the side. He held a knife, and, if you squinted, he actually looked a little dangerous.

He murmured several things. Then snatched a teddy bear from Keith, which he had taken from the bag and plunged the knife into the bear's plush stomach.

Reyna wanted to cry out – what kind of a person killed stuffed animals? And when her sister was in trouble? – then Octavian's face started glowing with a strange light, and he recited:

_"You shall choose to aid the Warriors of Eve,_

_And among them, the one who deceives._

_The greatest god's wrath is what you believe._

_Of a royal's power one is relieved._

_Of envy and betrayal this one bleeds,_

_Son of Jupiter take heed."_

* * *

><p><strong>YAY! A quest AND a prophecy. Sorry, it stinks, I know. It's just not very prophecy-esque. I took like an hour to make it up and I was like, "hey this is pretty okay." Then I woke up the next morning and I was like, "what the hell was i thinking." But I was trying to finish, so whatever. I have the whole thing planned out, bwahaha. :). Anyway, this came out longer than I thought it was because I typed a thousand words, and I was like, "wait, where is the point of this chapter?" So I continued on what was going to be the next chapter, and here you have it. You probably did care about that at all and I just made you read all this so I could say: REVIEW<strong>

**-Seastar97**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey, all. Get ready for a pointless narrative chapter. HOORAY! It's kind of late, so I don't have much to say. Read, review... yeah. ;) **

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><p>Everyone began talking at once. Jason was pale. Gwen seemed to be murmuring things to him. She patted his blonde head soothingly as Nina walked over and put her arm around him, whispering something. He looked at her, his eyes round. Then he seemed to regain his composure when Reyna arrived by his side. She had barely even noticed where her feet were taking her; she'd just made an unconscious decision to move.<p>

"Yeah," Jason said quietly to Nina. "I'll go."

"I want to go too!" Reyna spoke up.

Nina gave her a strange look. "You're still on _probatio_, Reyna Bernard. Usually we –"

"I don't care!" Reyna exclaimed. "My sister is an Amazon, and if you think that I'm going to stand by while she's in danger, then you're dead wrong."

Keith strayed over. "Shall we call a Senate meeting?" he asked Nina.

"This one wants to go." Nina shoved a thumb in Reyna's direction.

Reyna felt as though she had just swallowed a fire ball. "I'm going whether you want me to or not," she said, spitting flames.

"Brave one, we've got here," Octavian said sidling up. "Lupa chose well." He spoke as though he had the most seniority of them all. He looked young, but it was clear to Reyna that, in certain aspects, he was wise beyond his years. He still acted as bratty and bossy as a two-year-old, though.

Nina ignored Octavian. "No Senate meeting. Not today, anyway." She turned to Reyna. "Be ready to go into the city tomorrow. And _you_ –" she looked at Jason – "don't sweat it, okay, kid?"

Jason nodded. "Okay."

"Back to your activities!" Keith announced.

"Are you okay?" Reyna and Gwen asked at the same time.

Jason held his hands up. "'Son of Jupiter beware' isn't an absolute death omen, you know. And I'm not the only son of Jupiter in the world, right? Nina said I'm in pretty good shape."

"Do you think I'll be able to go?" Reyna asked.

"Gods of Olympus, no." Jason almost laughed. "You'd just slow us down."

"Who's 'us'"? Reyna asked, "And what make you so sure you're going? That line may not exactly be a bad omen, but it's definitely not a good one."

"I've already been on more quests than you probably will ever be on, kid."

"Don't call me "kid"," Reyna protested.

"Anyway, Nina promised Octavian he could go on the next quest," Jason said. "And I want Gwen to go with me. Three is a lucky in number in Rome, and frankly, I don't see any room for you. Kid."

"What?" Reyna said furiously. "Last time I checked, you're not my mom. You're probably not even a year older than me, and you can't dictate what I do!"

"Please. I'm definitely at least one year older than you. When's your birthday?"

"July tenth."

"Ha! April fifth!"

"That's not the point!" Reyna said. "I'm still going on the quest."

"Nuh uh."

"Uh huh."

"Nuh -"

"Guys," Gwen interrupted. Reyna had forgotten she was there. She looked pretty amused. "It's not for you guys to decide, so there's not point in arguing. And just for the record, Reyna, my birthday is on July tenth, too." Gwen smiled. "Now, to your activities, both of you."

Reyna stalked off in the opposite direction from Jason, her arms crossed. He thought he was so special. Son of Jupiter. Who said daughters of – whoever her mother was – couldn't be heroes, too?

Hank sat next to her during Latin. It wasn't an activity so much as a mandatory class, but it was basically the only time during the say that anyone was allowed to sit down.

Reyna scribbled down the answers the math problems on her piece of paper. She wasn't sure if this was supposed to be difficult, because all half-bloods were supposed to be able to read Latin, and supposedly Greek, which was expressly forbidden – but maybe it just came naturally to her.

"We used to have to use slates," Hank whispered to Reyna.

"What's a slate?"

"It's like a miniature chalk board. Lupa thought it was more Romany or something. Keith convinced our old praetor, Kendall, that we should use paper. Now we only take out the slates when Lupa comes around, which isn't often."

"I can totally imagine her ripping Keith's throat out." Reyna envisioned it. It was that she didn't like Keith – he was kind of cute, actually – it was just that her mind too easily strayed away from math to more violent things, like the tearing out of throats. "What happened to the other girl praetor – Kendall?"

Hank's face darkened. "She died. On a quest four months ago. It tore Keith apart, even though he doesn't show it anymore… at all. They were raised to praetorship together. Nina's her replacement."

"How did she die?" Reyna asked.

"It's bad luck to talk about it. It's such a terrible fate for someone so nice. I hope she went to Elysium. Some people say bad luck befell her because…" Hank lowered his voice. "She was in the Fifth. She was the first praetor from there in a really long time. Octavian threw a fit. Then he acted all smug when she died."

"What happens when you talk about what happened to her?" Reyna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You're doomed to die a horrible death, too."

"Someone else died, then?"

Hank nodded. "Uri, a new camper, two weeks ago was blabbing on and on about her. And right in the middle of his speech, a high-speed Roman candle flew by and took his head off. Just like that."

"Seriously?" Reyna was awed.

"Dead serious."

"Who shot the candle?"

"We never found out, but it doesn't really matter. He's with Hades either way." On that happy note, Hank finally changed the subject. "You should have seen my sister trying to sweet talk Nina and Keith into letting her go. It was all blonde hair and blue eyes. I think Keith was almost convinced, too."

"Vivian doesn't really look like a warrior," Reyna noted.

"You got that right. People sometime confuse her for a daughter of Venus – you know the breathtakingly beautiful love goddess? – but personally, I don't think she's _that_ pretty. Just weak."

Reyna smiled. She noticed that all of Hank's problems were done, and the Latin was flawless. "Wow. You're finished?"

"Yeah. I think my mom, Minerva, like, invented math or something. It's so easy."

"I guess brains cover the strength department."

"I guess. You've got both, though. I saw you, during the war games last week." Hank grinned. "You're a natural commander. I've never seen anyone so graceful on the battlefield. And your strategies? You could teach Minerva a thing or two."

"Thanks," Reyna said gratefully. "Do you think Nina noticed? Do you think she'll take it into account when she decides whether or not I can go on the quest?"

"Definitely."

* * *

><p>Reyna followed Jason into the senate house. He sat in the center of the second row of chairs. Reyna slide in beside him, leaving one seat in between.<p>

The rest of the senate flied in after them. It was mostly centurions, Reyna noticed, like Vivian, Heather from the first, and Gwen.

Nina and Keith stood in the center of the room. Nina opened her mouth to speak.

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><p><strong>The end isn't so much part of the chapter as it is a preview to the next chapter. So, yeah. It's really super short. Maybe someone wants to beta for me now? Please? :) Um, review, definitely. In case anyone is interested, I will probably be updating Flattery in a couple of days, as soon as my beta is finished...<strong>

**I have cool news: I can almost be a beta reader, too! Well, I can almost post my profile. Once I have 6 stories, and I am definitely starting a new one about Percy and Bianca di Angelo. Some people checked out the plot, and they said it was pretty cool! I'm excited. If anyone wants to read the outline, or suggest a name, or something, I am SO open to critiques and criticisms. I'll send it to you in PM if you're interested. **

**Tata for now :D**

**-seastar**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ha. I finished. I started at like two this afternoon, and I wrote on my phone until ten, but I'm finished. So, the story is finally moving along, although this part wasn't really in my original plan. Oh, well. Um, read, review, whatever. :D**

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><p>"Senate and people of Rome," Nina said, waving a hand to quiet the crowd. Vivian still spoke noisily to her boyfriend Colton. "You've been called her today for a ruling. Shall these three -" she pointed out Reyna, Jason, and Gwen respectively, "- Jason Grace from the fifth, Gwendolyn Harper, also from the fifth, and, still on probatio, Reyna Bernard from the third cohort, be granted a quest? Or shall the task be delegated to a few more experienced campers?"<p>

"I object!" Vivian blurted out.

"To what?"

"To that!"

Colton pulled his girlfriend back into her seat, which was his lap. "We have yet to say anything, Vivian Hollis. Anyhow," Nina continued with a slight scowl now on her face. "Whoever is chosen will depart at daybreak two days from now without delay."

Reyna stifled a groan. Daybreak? She could barely drag herself out of bed at eight o' clock. Sunrise would be a definite problem.

"Daybreak?" Jason protested. "You're kidding, right?"

"Mr. Grace, that is detrimental to your chance of attending this quest. I suggest you speak only in turn from here on out," Nina warned. Reyna wondered if you could really attend a quest - it wasn't exactly the kind of event that went on with you.

Octavian, who had been notably quiet throughout the duration of the meeting, finally spoke up. "In my opinion, not many resources should be expended on this particular quest. What have the Amazonian women ever done for us? I say we call the whole shenanigan off and let the Amazons fend for themselves."

The senate started to murmur consents and agreements, especially the first cohort.

Keith scoffed. "The Amazons have always aided us in battle, if you'll recall, Octavian. And also, they've recently taken one of our new campers, Hylla Bernard. Would you leave a fellow camper to fight off some mysterious force without help?" The praetor asked this to the crowd at large.

"No!" everyone not from the first shouted.

"For Hylla!" Reyna hollered, glad someone was looking out for her sister.

"For Hylla! Everyone repeated.

"Thank you for your input, Octavian," Nina interrupted, "but that is not what we came here for. This situation is a bit unusual, seeing as this quest was not requested by a camper, but rather thrust upon us; it shall run smoothly, regardless. There are several candidates for the quest, many being self-nominated volunteers. Some are worthy, some are not. I will read off the names, once they have all been read, the senate may vote on the three most eligible alternatives to Jason Grace, Reyna Bernard, and Gwendolyn Harper. Understood?"

There was a unanimous chant of "yes!"

"Each candidate will have a chance to defend their position," Nina added, then began reading off names. Each member who was present in the senate stood, but there also others who were not senators or centurions, like Hank Hollis. Octavian applauded loudly at his own name. Reyna had never heard his last name before - Dare.

Nina after about twenty names, three-quarters of which Reyna did not recognize, she stopped. "All in favor of Cassiopeia McCullers?"

A brunette broke out in extremely loud, unprecedented applause, which she promptly stopped, her face as red as Vivian's had been when Lacey had stepped on the back of her bath towel as she was coming back from the sauna - and as red Reyna's had been from laughing.

Reyna continued on. When it came to Octavian's name, the whole first cheered, which was the best anyone had done so far. Next up was Hank, and of course, Vivian.

"We have our nominees," Keith announced. "Hank and Vivian Hollis, and Octavian Dare."

"Octavian can't go on a quest!" Jason protested. "He's such a weenie! That's - that's like sending Alfred Pennyworth the butler to be Batman instead of Bruce Wayne!"

Nina shot Jason a "shut up" look.

Keith continued, smirking slightly. "Tomorrow, Reyna, Jason, and Gwen will face off against Hank, Vivian and Octavian to determine which group will go on the quest."

Tomorrow? Reyna felt like screaming. Hylla was in trouble, and these people wanted to have a contest to see who was worthy of saving her?

"The six qualifiers will meet outside the mess hall tomorrow morning at seven for further instructions. You are dismissed."

Reyna, scowling tried to get up, but Jason pushed her back down into her seat.

"We have to stay seated until after everyone else is gone," he said.

"How stupid," Reyna said, trying to stand up anyway. If she ever became a praetor, she would abolish that rule right away.

"It is stupid," Jason agreed, "but Nina is all for that traditional Roman stuff. I bet she Google searched all this stuff when she was raised to praetor. She probably even replaced the seats in here to have stone cushions. I don't remember them ever being this hard, and my butt's asleep."

After everyone else had filed out of the senate building, Reyna asked, "what are we supposed to do now?"

Jason shrugged. "We could go back to our activities."

"Nah," they both said at the same time.

"We could stay in town. I don't think Nina or Keith would notice. I'm a little worried about Terminus, though." Reyna remembered entering the boundaries of the city. Terminus, the god of borders, had hassled the whole senate, her especially. She could see how he could be a problem, with his fifty little armless bodies at regular intervals throughout the square.

"He can't get word back to camp," Reyna pointed out, "let's stay here."

Jason smiled deviously. "I know exactly where we should go."

"You've been here before?" Reyna asked, pushing past a thorn bush. When Jason said they should stay in town, he obviously hadn't meant it literally. Right now, he was ahead of her, tromping through some bushes. They were in the woods outside The Fence. The Fence was... Well, a fence. It divided the monster infested backwoods from the city protected by magical borders within. How Jason had convinced her to come here with him, she wasn't entirely sure.

"Actually, I couldn't find anyone who would come with me," the son of Jupiter confessed.

Reyna halted, her hands on her hips. "So you decided to take me, the newbie, just because I'm stupid enough to say yes?"

"Come on, you sissy," Jason said, "it'll help us with whatever Keith wants us to do to beat Octavian."

Reyna's stomach twisted. She felt bad about going up against Hank, Viv, and Octavian. Even though she didn't particularly like Vivian, she was still a member of her cohort, and Hank and Octavian were her friends. Even so, she could help feeling confident that she would win with Jason and Gwen on her side.

"Besides," Jason continued. "You're not that stupid. I've seen you on the battlefield, during the war games? Let me just say, the Third hasn't won in a long, long time."

They were silent for a while, then Reyna asked, "What are we looking for, exactly?"

"Monsters." Anyone else might have been joking, but this was Jason Grace, a child of the gods. The look on his face was deadly serious.

"I don't see any sign of them," Reyna said, looking closer.

"You're kidding, right? I've been tracking a minotaur for the past fifteen minutes."

Reyna's heart beat quickened. "Maybe this isn't such a -"

Too late. A roar ripped through the forest.

"Time to work your magic, kid!" Jason said, flipping a coin.

This caught Reyna off guard. Her first thought was, _what__kind__of__an__idiot__flips__a__coin__when__an__ancient__monster__is__after__them?_ Then her eyes widened as she saw what the coin _morphed_ into. A freaking golden sword. How much did _that_ cost?

"To the left!" Reyna said, her weird sixth sense kicking in as she listened to the Minotaur's heavy footfalls behind her. This always happened in the heat of battle. It was almost like a second soul possessed her, one that knew exactly what to do. All she had to do was decide the objective: evade, defend, attack, or kill, which she hadn't used very often. But what she needed to do now was exterminate the giant bull behind her.

Reyna whirled around to face the Minotaur, her long hair catching her in eyelashes. She finally understood what they were for.

Jason was taking the defensive position, parrying the bull's striking horns. Reyna knew instinctively that this wasn't the very best tactic, but she figured it would work anyway.

She unsheathed her dagger. "Right, Jason, right!" She shouted as she saw recognized a critical error in his movements.

The bull fainted left. It must have pretty smart, because Reyna had never seen a bull do that. Anyhow it slammed its huge nose into Jason's chest and sent him flying into her.

She could have kept her balance, but Jason was clutching her so tightly that they both went down.

"OOF!"

"Whoa, I did _not_ mean to pull your pants down."

"Get off me!" They were losing time. "Do you want to kill this thing or not?"

"Kill it? I was thinking of just high-tailing it out of here. I might become a vegetarian after this."

"Duck, you idiot!"

"No exceptions. Duck is still meat."

"No! Duck, stab upward, and then thrust counter-clockwise!"

To Reyna's surprise, Jason obeyed. The creature's vocal chords ripped and golden liquid streamed down the sword. Its last sound was a wild braying sound.

"Ow!" Jason cried out as the creature dissolved into dust. Reyna held her breath as it floated past her. No way was she getting any of that stuff in her lungs.

The son of Jupiter was now standing, jumping up and down, cradling his right hand in his left. "It burns, it burns!"

"You'd better keep that battle scar," Reyna said, her normal brain switching back into gear. "We need some evidence that we defeated a Minotaur."

* * *

><p><strong>So my idea is (spoiler) that, since Rachel takes the Spirit of Delphi and becomes the Oracle, that Octavian is, like, her cousin or something because he's an auger. Maybe it runs in the family... I don't know, it kinda seemed cool, and I couldn't think of a last name. Octavian Dare... Not too shabby. He needs a middle name, I think. Octavian Caesar Augustus Dare.<strong>

**That was off topic. I guess I'll have the next chapter out pretty soon. I'm waiting to update Flattery right now, and I haven't really been working on the Other Side, but for those of you who are anticipating an update on that, I'll get started. On another tangent, I'd really love it if you guys could promote my fics and stuff. It'd be so cool to get some more opinions. Thank you so much, and don't forget to review!**

**-seastar97**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm back! I just had so much more to write. Jason and Reyna rock. This could probably be a continuation of the previous chapter, so it's pretty short. I haven't been putting disclaimers in, so:**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Jason or Reyna. Or anything that Rick Riordan does. **

* * *

><p>"What do you have to say for yourself?" Nina asked finally. Reyna, who had been covertly searching for an escape route, snapped to attention. They had all been sitting in the praetor's office for about fifteen minutes, and these were the first words to be spoken.<p>

"Nothing," said Jason, not even averting his piercing blue eyes.

"Surely you can't think you've done the right thing."

"Will you cut that out? Trying to sound like a medieval freak, I mean." Reyna didn't bother pointing put that people didn't really talk like that in medieval times. Nina was probably just trying to make Jason feel like a little kid – and it was working.

"I am not talking like a medieval freak," Nina said, rolling her eyes. "If you keep mouthing off, I'll just send Octavian on the quest. Now tell me what happened."

"Fine," Jason snorted. "We were bored, so -"

"We?" Reyna interrupted. "We weren't anything. You were the one who wanted –"

"Well, you agreed," Jason said, continuing. "We were bored, so we stayed in town instead of coming back to camp. There was nothing else to do, so we jumped The Fence into the Woods. And we... Fought a Minotaur. That's how I got this burn. The ichor seared my skin."

"And that how I got this dust all over me," Reyna added, lifting her hand to sweep the dust off her shoulder.

"No!" Jason shouted. Her ear started ringing.

"I'm right next to you," she said. "No need to be so loud."

"Leave the dust right where it is," the son of Jupiter said, without offering an apology.

"Ichor?" Nina asked when they were finished. "Only the gods have ichor. Are you sure that's what it was?"

"Well, no..."

"Good. Now, about the quest."

"Please, Nina!" Jason said, throwing himself on the desk that separated them. "It was for the good of the camp! We were training for our test tomorrow. Ask Reyna."

"He did say that," Reyna admitted.

"Alright," Nina said. "Even though you need to make up your activities, I'll let this one slide. Now, go to the infirmary and have Penelope fix that burn. Tell her to try and determine the cause as well. You're dismissed."

The infirmary was a small building behind the praetor's houses. It was purple, and shiny, which made difficult to look at. Jason pushed the door open and a violet bell jangled.

"Well, if it isn't Jason Grace," a girl of about seventeen with chestnut brown hair said. She had a smile on her face and a sandwich in her hand, which reminded Reyna that they had substituted lunchtime for monster fighting.

"What have you done to yourself this time?" The girl looked around. "And where's Octavian?"

"Actually, Penelope, Octavian didn't have anything to do with it this time." Jason showed her his wounded hand.

"Good gods, what happened?" Penelope asked.

"We were fighting a Minotaur in the Woods... Long story."

"We?" Penelope finally seemed to notice Reyna. "Oh, hi there!" she said. "I'm Penelope Hernandez. You're that girl whose sister joined the Amazons." She snapped her fingers. "Reyna! That's you. I've seen you on the battlefield, from the infirmary headquarters up on the tower. You've got some fight in you! Bellona's girl, aren't you?"

"We don't know that for sure," Jason said before Reyna had a chance to respond. He narrowed his eyes, and then they lit up, like the pieces of a puzzle had finally snapped into place.

"Who's Bellona?" Reyna asked dumbly.

"Well, bless your soul, no one's told you anything," Penelope exclaimed. She turned to the wall behind her. There we about ten portraits of the most dazzling people Reyna had ever seen. They weren't the best looking, but there was something striking about them.

"That fourth one right there is Bellona," Penelope said, pointing. "The first one is Jupiter Optimus Maximus; the second is Mars Ultor. The third is Minerva; the fifth is Juno; and the sixth is Apollo, my father."

"That's all really nice, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd heal this burn now." Jason tapped his foot.

"Was this a fire breathing Minotaur?" Penelope asked, going behind a purple counter, opening a purple drawer and rifling through it. "And by Jupiter, why when did you find the time to hunt down a fire breathing bull from the Underworld?"

"I'd rather not say..."

"He made me follow him into the Woods, looking for trouble," Reyna said. "Why is everything in here purple?"

"ANYWAY," Jason interrupted pointedly, "when I stabbed the Minotaur, ichor started coming out of it. That's what burned me."

Penelope shook her head. "Only the gods have ichor, Jay jay."

Reyna snickered. _Jay__jay_?

"That's what Nina said," Jason replied, ignoring Reyna. "She wants you to try and find out what it was."

"I'll try my best," the daughter of Apollo said, diving back behind the counter.

Jason gave Reyna one of his mischievous looks. "By, the way, P, do you have a plastic bag?" A Ziploc baggie flew out from behind the purple counter and landed at Jason's feet.

The son of Jupiter picked it up with his good hand. "Turn around," he told Reyna, and began running his hands down her back.

"What are you doing?" she asked, alarmed and utterly confused.

"There," Jason said, holding up the bag, as it that was Reyna's answer. It was now full of sand-colored, shimmery grains of destroyed monster that resembled fairy-dust.

"Watch this." He began kneading the bag between his fingers, forcing the sandy stuff into one corner of plastic. It began swirling. Between one blink of the eye and the next, the little lump of dust transformed into a miniature Minotaur.

"Whoa," Reyna said, her eyes widening. "That's what's left of the Minotaur we defeated?"

"Yeah," Jason replied. "Isn't awesome? Octavian invented it. We used to do it all the time after gladiator fights. Just look at the little guy, running around in there, eternally damned." He smiled serenely.

Penelope emerged with a pair of tweezers and a test tube in her hand, the rest of her sandwich crammed into her mouth.

"Not again," she said around ham and Swiss cheese. "Those things always get loose."

"But there so much fun," Jason protested.

"Get rid of it," Penelope told him, pointing to a garbage can.

"I was thinking we could store it in the freezer..."

"No."

"But –"

"No. Now, come here and let me get a sample of the affected tissue."

Once Penelope was finished taking some of Jason's tissue, they left. Judging by the sun, and her lack of a watch, it looked like it was only about one 'o clock.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Reyna asked.

"We could go back to our activities," Jason suggested.

"Nah," they both said at the same time.

"Wait," Reyna said. "Déjà vu."

"Um, no," Jason said. "There's no monster to fight this time."

"Thank the gods. Come on, we have archery class."

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><p><strong>Things are definitely going to pick up next chapter, like I said last time, I think. But I promise this time. This is a big gap in my plot line and I just kind of inadvertently decided to make it a lot longer than it needed to be. <strong>

**I just wanted to thank everyone for their gracious reviews! I know it's not as good as you guys make it sound. I think I'm going to start a new PJatO story after the holidays, so I guess you can read that, too. If you want :)**

**Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hannukah, and Kwanza and all those other holidays, too!**

**-seastar97**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: I think I've just made an important discovery: the _S_ key is _way_ too close the _W_ one. So, when you _ctrl+s_ to save your document, you're in danger of closing it on accident with _ctrl+w_, which normally wouldn't be a problem, unless you haven't saved in, I don't know, an _hour, _and you can't remember a thing you've written… *sigh* FML. ANYway. Happy 2012! Yay... I'm not really that excited. I just kind of poured this chapter out... it's not really an advance in the story so much as Reyna's feelings and stuff. GRR. I need to make these chapters longer! Now read!**

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><p>Reyna's feet reluctantly propelled the rest of her into bed. <em>I'm not tired, <em>she told herself for the tenth time. She climbed the ladder to the upper bunk. Lacey lived on the lower one, because she was afraid of heights. The alarm clock in her hand rattled a little, making a faint, echoing ring. She'd just asked Hank to borrow it, even though he'd insisted that she didn't need it, and promised to wake her up on time. Reyna hadn't liked her chances – Hank was almost always among the last to arrive at breakfast every morning.

Hank seemed to have everything, thought Reyna. His father had been sending him and his sister to Camp Jupiter for their whole lives. This was their home, unless they were in the flat that Mr. Hollis owned in town. Reyna wished her father lived in town – she wished she knew where he was, _who _he was. There hadn't been much time to dwell on things at Circe's spa, but whenever she brought either of their parents up to Hylla, she always had the same answer: _"They did the right thing by sending us here, Rey." _ And that was it.

Back then, Reyna hadn't exactly possessed the brain capacity to really wonder who her parents were. Now she wasn't even thoroughly convinced that even Hylla knew their identities. Either way, she couldn't find out now – Hylla wasn't returning her letters.

Reyna set the alarm clock and propped it up on her headboard, so it rested by her left ear. It was a goofy-looking thing, orange, with a face that was screwed up like it was about to sneeze. She still didn't see why the test for the quest had to be _before _breakfast, or before anyone else was even awake. She was usually in a lot better of a mood post-mealtime. It was what Jason had reported to her when he had returned to archery class after being called out by Keith. Hopefully, he'd been telling the truth, not just goofing off.

_I need some new friends, _Reyna thought ruefully, pulling her blankets around her – another gift from Hank; even though she'd been allowed a hundred denarii to buy all the necessities from the camp store or in town, Hank had told her it wasn't necessary, and loaded her up. Jason, on the other hand, had tried to weasel enough money to buy an ice cream several times. He seemed like the kind of kid who would lead a girl into the guys' restroom, just for kicks. He hadn't tried to pull that one on Reyna yet, though.

In spite of his frequent practical-jokery, Reyna couldn't help smiling when she thought about Jason. He was just as loyal as he was an idiot. And he did have a lot of friends, plus the older campers seemed to like him. She wondered if Jason's mom lived in town, or if he had any siblings like Hank. She'd have to ask him tomorrow.

Hank's alarm clock jolted Reyna out of a strange dream. It had seemed strangely real. In the dream, Hylla had revealed that she was actually Reyna's mother, and Jason Grace was he brother. Then Jason had morphed in a carbon copy of Reyna. Hylla had said, "Oops! I guess he's your _sister_, now!" then laughed evilly.

It hadn't made that much sense, but it was almost like she could feel Hylla's presence. Reyna wasn't sure if that made her safer, or more wary, but her muscles were tense and coiled as she made her way to the baths from her barrack.

She almost jumped out of her skin when the door of the boys' portion of the bath house swung open, and Jason Grace swaggered out. Reyna picked up the shampoo she had dropped from her shower caddie, and pulled her robe more tightly around her – to keep out the chilly air, she told herself.

Jason caught her eye and smiled. He opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but the door flew open behind him and nailed him in the back.

"AH!" he yowled.

"Sorry, Jason." Octavian stepped out from behind the door. He spoke in the most casual tone Reyna had ever heard him use. Reyna bit on her lips to keep the smile from spreading across her lips. She failed. Jason scowled at her, rubbing his back.

"Good luck this morning," Octavian said pleasantly. He slung what Reyna figured were his pajamas over his shoulders. He held only a bottle of shampoo, which probably doubled as soap. _Boys_, Reyna thought. How could anyone come so ill-equipped to the showers?

"Hopefully you aren't in too much pain to compete, Jason." Octavian prodded his friend with his big toe. Jason smacked him the pair of pants he had dropped. "Give me my shampoo back," he snapped.

Reyna didn't stick around for the argument that ensued. By the time she was out of the shower, the boys' shouts had stopped. She hoped they hadn't injured on another too badly.

It was almost time to go when Reyna arrived back at her barrack, and judging by the fact that Vivian and Hank were still in bed, they either were going to have terrible bed head when they finally got up, or they just wouldn't show up at all, in which case Octavian would become a very sore loser. Although Reyna would have loved to see Octavian lose, she shook Hank's shoulder until he woke up.

"Gods," he mumbled, his eyes squinted with sleep. Then he spied his alarm clock. "VIVIAN! You were supposed to wake me up!"

Everyone else started stirring, and Reyna left the barrack, before she could be blamed for the ruckus.

Jason was doing stretches in front of the mess hall when Reyna walked up. Gwen was there too, though it didn't appear as though she wanted to be.

"You know," she reminded the son of Jupiter, "we don't know whether the test is physical or intelligence based, Jason."

"It has to be physically based," Jason complained, "or else Reyna and I won't have an excuse for fighting that Minotaur. I told Nina it was part of our training today."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Reyna," she said when Reyna plopped down on the ground beside Jason. "Good, you're here. Where are Hank and his sister?"

Reyna smirked a little at Octavian, who was doing push-up opposite their group, ignoring the fact that he was alone. "They got a late start." She shrugged. "They'll be better rested, I guess."

"If they get here at all," Jason said. "Hear that, Tavie? Your friends took a little nap."

Octavian frowned. He had an angry red scratch on his right forearm. "They didn't take a nap. That couldn't have taken a nap if they didn't get out of bed in the first place!"

"Someone's angry," Reyna commented.

"Don't egg him on, the two of you," Gwen chided. "What happened to your arm?"

"Why don't you ask Jason?" Octavian snapped.

Gwen looked to the son of Jupiter. Jason frowned. "No comment."

"How's your back?" Reyna asked.

"Bruised. But I'm not going to tell that to Nina. Octavian can't hide that scratch."

"He's right," Gwen agreed. "I'll take you to the infirmary."

Slowly, Octavian rose and let Gwen lead him toward the purple house.

"So," Reyna said. "I was thinking… Hank's dad lives in town, and his mom lives on Olympus, like your dad. So, where's your mom?"

"I don't know." Jason rolled over to his stomach and started doing push-ups.

An awkward silence stretched between them. "Do you have any siblings?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

Jason sighed. "I don't know. I mean the very first memory I have is of my mom, I think. But I'm not sure. Lupa raised me until I was four, or so I'm told. I barely remember any of that." Jason's voice was bitter as he continued. "Then she sent me here. She never told me anything about my family. Octavian was sent here the same year as me, when his parents discovered that he had the powers of an auger.

"For five or six years, we were the youngest ones at camp. We're kind of like brothers. The praetor at the time, Sabrina, was kind of like our mom. She took care of us. Then she went to college. She usually helps Terminus at the border. I think she had a baby or something. I was looking forward to seeing her." Jason frowned.

"It kind of seems like everyone thinks they're your mom," Reyna observed. "Nina, Gwen, Penelope…"

"Yeah, and it's annoying!" Jason snapped out of his funk.

"You're lucky," Reyna said. "They all love you."

"I don't really want to be their son. Actually, I don't think any of them should _have_ sons of their own. They'd kill them with kindness."

Before Reyna could reply, Keith emerged from behind one of the buildings on the _principia_ with a large, lumpy white bag of something. A black kitten was at his heels.

His eyes scanned the area before they rested on Jason and Reyna.

"It's only you two?" He asked, checking his watch. "I'm pretty sure it's time to start."

"Gwen took Octavian to the infirmary," Jason told the praetor. "Where's Nina?"

The cat calmly walked up to Reyna. She stroked its back. "Good kitty."

Keith shrugged. "I asked her to get me a coffee fifteen minutes ago. She's probably talking to Javier again." Keith looked glum. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked Reyna.

Reyna nodded. "My sister is in danger."

Keith sighed. "It's going to be – How did that cat get here?"

Jason looked bewildered. "What cat? Where?"

"Right there." Keith pointed the kitten, which was nestled in Reyna's lap now.

"This is bad," Jason said, picking the animal up.

"Where's the fire?" Nina sidled up and handed a Starbucks cup to Keith. She saw the cat in Jason's arms. "Oh, no," she said.

Reyna wondered what they had against cats. "I saw it come from behind that building," she said, pointing.

Nina was pale. "Jason, how far did you and Reyna go out into the Woods?"

"Not that far. We hiked for about five minutes." Jason handed the cat to Nina.

"This is not good." The cat meowed.

"What's the problem?" Reyna asked, tired of everybody words going over her head.

Just then, Vivian and Hank raced up, out of breath. Gwen and Octavian rounded the corner. Nina spun around and walked off with the cat before anyone else could see it.

Keith smiled like nothing was wrong. "Good. You're all here. Today, we're going to settle things the old fashioned way – at good ole' game of dodge ball."

Vivian was skeptical. "Flaming dodge ball? Spike dodge ball? There has to be a catch."

"Nope. Regular dodge ball." Keith opened the mess hall door and gestured for them to follow.

The aurae could obviously do more than just cook. They had rearranged the whole mess hall, pushed the chairs and couches against the walls, and stacked the beanbag chairs in a huge pile.

Keith opened the bag and dumped the dodge balls out. "Standard rules. Every man for himself. If you hit your own teammate, _Jason_, they're still out. The team from which the last person standing is from gets the quest. May the best ballers win."

Reyna didn't know what came over her. Five minutes later, though, she was the last one standing.

"Rematch!" Vivian screamed, "I demand a rematch!"

"No time," Keith said. "Congratulations, Reyna, Jason, and Gwen. You leave tomorrow at sunrise."

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><p><strong>I keep meaning for them to start the quest and everything, but I keep getting sidetracked... Sorry. I would have included it in this chapter, but I just feel like I have to get them out really quickly because I don't update that often. I don't realize how much fun I have writing these until I start writing them, and I spend two hours on one and them I'm like, "oh, two hours, that's enough, even though I don't really have a life and I'm just sitting here waiting for my friends to call..." :. I'll try to update soon. In the meantime, REVIEW!**

**xo -seastar**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: _Hola_, everybody. Wow. I just feel so depressed right now... I was just reading The Mark of Athena by Flamepaw (awesome, by the way), and I just realized what I pitifully bad writer I am! *sigh* That's really all I have to say for now. I want reviews, too. **

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><p>Reyna didn't exactly understand why Jason, her, and Gwen were being forced to wait an entire day - or twenty-one twenty-two minutes, and forty-two, forty-one, forty - seconds, according to her watch - to leave. It had practically been sunrise when they had won the dodge ball game yesterday.<p>

Jason had suggested that they all lay in bed for the whole day, to get some sleep and be "_Optimus Maxiumusly_ energized" for the next day. Reyna thought that was stupidest idea ever, but nonetheless, she had given into her tiredness and anxiety at about two-thirty in the afternoon.

Before Gwen had turned in, Gwen had told that if she changed her mind, to come to the Fifth's barracks, so that they wouldn't have to get her in the morning. Reyna had crashed in an empty bunk and fallen asleep. When she woke, it was around midnight, and all the bunk were filled with snoozing (and in Jason's case, snoring) campers. A stifling heat accompanied the members of the Fifth Cohort.

Reyna ran a palm across her sweaty face and fanned her self with her hand. She heard the humming of other campers' air conditioners and everyone once in a while, someone's oscillating fan would turn in her direction, cooling her for about a fraction of a second. She bet Hank Hollis had extra fans for nights like this. Almost without thinking about what she was doing, Reyna climbed out of bed and headed outside.

From the interior of the cabin, Reyna never would have guessed that there was a cool September breeze blowing just beyond the door. With the breeze, of course, came the smell of garbage - rotten fish, eggs, and probably a few unfortunate skunks who had escape the gladiator pens and passed out from the stench - but it was a welcome change from the atmosphere inside. She wondered whose idea it had been to move the Fifth's barracks behind the mess hall where the Dumpsters were. Sure, they had lost the Golden Eagle thing, or whatever, but was that really bad enough to condemn an entire generation to a lifetime of stink?

"Hey." A soft whisper floated from the barrack's screen door.

Reyna jumped. Jason Grace's silhouette was barely visible in the darkness. He swung the door open, his gold hair shining in the moonlight. Reyna could actually see a little bit of Jupiter in his face , if the huge statue at the altar was accurate - the thick, stubborn brow line (which she always thought looked a little like a Neanderthal's) and his blue, blue eyes that she was jealous of. It pleased her to picture herself tearing them out of his face. She wondered how much of her face was her mother's and how much was her father's.

"Couldn't sleep?" Jason asked.

"Tired of sleeping, no pun intended," Reyna replied. "What about you? Afraid of the dark?"

"No." Jason didn't even smile at Reyna's joke. He looked too old, and tired, and worried, and, though she figured she'd never think it again, too serious to be thirteen years old. "I was thinking about what you said earlier - about everyone trying to be my mom. Then I was thinking how badly I wanted a real mom. Well, not a real mom. My mom."

Reyna was silent for a moment. "And you've been thinking about this the whole time you've been in bed?" She felt bad for not being able to think of something sensitive to say, but it was the first thing that came out of her mouth.

Jason was still stony faced. "I guess I've had more luck than you; I've met my dad before, but still..."

"Hey," Reyna said, feeling a little bit more than a little bit uncomfortable. "You'll find you mom. Just like I'll find mine. And my dad." She stuttered out the words.

The door creaked open again. Gwen blinked in the moonlight, her red hair a tangled mess. Reyna reached up and smoothed her own dark tresses. It didn't appear as though Jason were submissive to bed head, partially because the hairstyle he wore on a day- to-day basis could be specified as class one bed head.  
>"Are you guys okay?" Gwen rubbed her eyes.<p>

"Yeah," Reyna assured her. "Just getting some air."

Jason turned back to the door. "I'm going back to bed."

"Did I interrupt something?" Gwen grinned, her teeth glittering.

"Nope." Reyna stared out at the stars. Everything - with the exception of the Dumpster - was so beautiful here. Maybe this was where she really belonged. Not only at camp, but with the Fifth.  
>Jason's snores filtered through the noise of fan and air conditioners. Maybe she could live without that.<p>

Reyna leaned on the bricked side of the mess hall, her pack weighing on her back. The sun hadn't yet made its appearance over the horizon and the world had a bluish tint to it. Jason was running the eighty yard sprint in place next to her. Gwen was stretched out on the ground, her oversize sweatshirt billowing out around her. She looked like a grey blob with red hair.

"Jason." Keith appeared out of nowhere, beckoning with a finger. "Gwen."  
>"What is it?" Gwen lifted her head.<p>

"It's about that cat Jason found yesterday." Keith's eyes shifted and his voice was lowered, as though he were afraid that someone would hear him.

Gwen bolted upright. "You found a cat yesterday?" she demanded.

"Reyna was the one who found it," Jason said, panting. He looked like he was running the twenty yard dash now.

"You didn't tell me," Gwen accused, glaring at Jason.

"I still don't see what the big deal is," Reyna said, closing her eyes. "It's just a cat." She yawned, playing with the _probatio_ tablet around her neck.

"I need to have a word with you two," Keith said.

"Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Reyna, Keith," Gwen prompted. "She's not in a very good position to betray us."

Keith sighed. "Fine. Reyna, because the cat got in, we know that there's some kind of breach in the camp's magical borders. It could be really small; a chink in the armor, but it could be that the boundaries have been completely obliterated."  
>"No offense," Reyna said, "but wouldn't there be some kind of magical interference or something? Besides, this place would be overrun with monsters. It think it's pretty obvious that your magical protection spell is still intact."<p>

"The hole could be getting bigger, though. What we need is for the three of you to track the problem."

"Are you serious?" Jason demanded, breaking stride. "We can't - we're already -"

"No," Gwen finished. "No can do, Keith."

"Last time I checked, this wasn't a democracy." Keith looked surly.

"Um, it kind of is," Reyna pointed out. She'd been paying attention during Roman history class.

"We need to figure out what is wrong with our wards," Keith said, glaring at her. "Do the best you can."

Gwen sighed. "Whatever." She smacked him with the sleeve of he overlarge sweatshirt. He smiled. Reyna didn't see what Circe had against boys; Keith was the cutest - if one of the only - guy she had ever seen. Girls were all frilly ribbons and hair bows on Circe's island. There wasn't even any need for men to do the dirty work - they just used magic. The boys here were work before talk. Sure sometimes it was hard for Reyna to sweep the barrack by herself, but it was a welcome change. She'd never quite been in touch with magic the way her sister was. Hylla actually knew a few tricks, but when she offered to teach them to Reyna, Reyna had refused.

She wondered what Hylla was doing right now, and what kind of danger the Amazons were in - the imminent kind, or the "Grab your weapons, war is upon us" kind. She tried not to worry too much.

"Where's Nina?" Jason asked. "She's not flirting with Javier again?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"She won't be here to see you off. I think she might be doing some investigating by herself."

"How are we going to get to the Amazon's?" Reyna asked. "Floo powder? I don't see any fireplaces. We could apparate, too."

All three of her companions gave her blank looks. "Really? You've never read Harry Potter? I was the one who lived on the desert island."

"Harry... Potter?" Jason sounded the words out. "He's a potter who's hairy?"

Reyna rolled her eyes. "No, stupid, that's his name. He's wizard."

"Did the gods give him his power?" Keith asked.

"No." Reyna gave up. "How are we going to get there?"

Three hours later, Reyna was sandwiched in between Jason and Gwen, sweating. The driver, one of the auras from camp, refused to turn the heat down, on account of the thirty degree weather outside. It had to be at least eighty in the car. Reyna was surprised that they weren't liquidizing all the snow that they drove past. They'd all been silent since Reyna has finished explaining the plot line to all seven of the Harry Potter books.

"How much longer?" Jason's hair was plastered to his forehead. "I'm bored." He'd already made this declaration twenty times. "Why didn't we just take a plane? It gong to take way to long to get all the way to -" The brakes on the car screeched to a halt and the door flew open, letting in a much needed burst of cold air.

"We're here!" The aura announced. Reyna hadn't realized they could speak. This one's voice was high and sharp.

She was about to ask if they ever got tired of bringing people food all the time, and cleaning up after them. But the car doors slammed shut and the vehicle was off like a shot in the dark. "Nice of her to stay and chat," Jason remarked.  
>Gwen held the door and the three of them hurried inside the building. It was warm inside, and covered in shipping boxes and bubble wrap. They all had the Amazon logo printed on them.<p>

"So, this is the actual Amazon headquarters?" Reyna asked. "The online shopping company Amazon?"

"Yeah," Jason said. "Of course."

Reyna did a 360 to examine the room - not that there was really anything exciting, just the monotonous boxes, and a few package invoices she hadn't noticed before. When she turned back to the front desk though, which was golden, someone was behind it.

A young lady, maybe about nineteen or twenty, looked from Reyna to Gwen. She had blonde hair, and brown eyes, with a luminous smile, which she refused to turn on Jason. When she looked at him, the corners of her mouth automatically turned down, like a dripping ice cream cone.

"Hello, I am Irma. What brings you here?"

"I think Queen Lydia is expecting us," Gwen said.

"Ah," Irma said, nodding. "Right this way. Are you bribing your pet with you? We don't usually allow boys."

When Jason met Irma's icy glare, it looked like the war of the worlds might break out right there. "I'm not their pet, and I'm not a boy! I'm a man. And I'm the son of Jupiter, so you better watch out or my dad will blast you to pieces!"

"Son of Jupiter," Irma repeated, then grinned. "Please, follow me, all of you," she repeated. "Feel free to kill whatever you like."

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><p><strong>Something weird happened with the paragraphs... it always happens when I type on my phone. Oh well. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them. I feel like this is going too fast. I mean, I have a plan and everything, but I just keep cutting and pasting, and skipping, and forgetting stuff. Anyway, review! <strong>

**-seastar97 :)**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Yay! I finally got bored and decided to update! It's been almost a month... Sorry about that. Teachers are just now starting to look a me and say, "This girl is smart. Put her in the gifted class!" And suddenly I have all gifted classes and ten times more homework. And all this time I thought I was dumb. Anway, this probably won't make up for a whole month of waiting, if anybody is still reading... Review? Please?**

**Disclaimer, before I forget: I don't own Jason Grace or anything that Rick Riordan owns. Now read!**

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><p>"Are you planning to stay long?" Irma asked sweetly, as she led the trio though a pair of large, warehouse-like swinging doors.<p>

"Until we can find the problem and solve it," Gwen replied.

Irma smiled. "I think you'll find the accommodations quite pleasing then, _boy_."

"Jason," Jason said, his cheeks coloring. "My name is Jason, not _"boy",_ or apparently in your language, _"piece of crap."_ Reyna almost smiled. No wonder Hylla thought she would like it here; she never liked the idea of change, and the Amazons were like buffer, meatier versions of Circe.

"Queen Lydia will be with you in a moment." Irma flounced out of the room, leaving Reyna, Gwen, and Jason alone.

"_Queen Lydia will be with you in a moment_," Jason mimicked, imitating Irma's walk.

Gwen let out a laugh – which promptly morphed into a scream. Reyna whirled to look at her. Gwen's green eyes were wide and panicked-looking. Reyna followed her line of sight, and then shouted, "Jason! Look out!"

Coming straight toward the son of Jupiter was the weirdest animal Reyna had ever seen. It was goat with eagle wings, hurtling though the air, flailing it's wings, which were alive with orange flames. That would have been strange enough - but then it had a fishtail, and a unicorn-ish horn. And its point was aimed right a Jason's heart.

Reyna wasn't sure how she knew that exactly, but the rate at which the flying-goat thing was coming at Jason – terminal velocity – was deadly. She didn't know how she knew that either.

Jason seemed rooted to his spot. _Stupid boy_, Reyna thought. It was almost as if he wanted to die. Luckily, Reyna knew what to do.

Without meaning to, she dived in front of Jason. He hit the concrete floor hard. She rolled out of the way – but not in time.

"OOOWWWW!" Reyna screamed. Pain shot through her leg. Red clouded the edge of her vision. To make matters worse, a deluge of golden sand flew into her eyes, blinding her.

"Reyna!" Gwen shouted. Reyna felt a hand on her shoulder, but she was fading fast. The red turned to black, and suddenly, there was nothing.

"That was my best flaming-flying-goat-eagle-fish-unicorn," a gruff, familiar voice by Reyna's ear.

"Your assistant said we could kill whatever we liked," said Gwen. "Besides, we were just minding our own business when it came flying and flaming out of nowhere!"

Reyna opened her eyes. Gwen's feet were by her head, and the floor concrete floor was hard beneath her body. Gwen's hands were on her hips and she stared defiantly up at Queen Lydia, who was at least a foot taller. They both looked like giants from Reyna's vantage point.

The queen sniffed distastefully. "Eugene never attacked unless provoked."

"I don't think he was attacking us," Gwen said. "It looked like he'd been shot out of a cannon or something. His wings weren't flapping and he looked terrified."

"And I suppose next you're going to tell me that he wanted to die." Lydia stuck her nose up and turned her back on Gwen, crossing her arms.

Gwen stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry. Then she knelt next to Reyna. "Oh, you're awake. How's the leg?"

Reyna's leg throbbed. "It didn't hurt until you said something." Jason groaned next to her. She hadn't noticed him. His feet were still in the same spot as they had been before, Reyna noted with annoyance. She had only bowled him over, not moved him. "Is Jason okay?"

The son of Jupiter stirred. "Urrggg…" he said.

Gwen stroked his hair. "He'll live."

"Look at this!" Lydia stared coldly down on Reyna. "Blood, all over my warehouse floor! This place still has to pass health inspection, you know!"

"Maybe you should have kept your flaming goat under control!" Gwen remarked hostilely, pulling off her sweatshirt, revealing a black tank top, and wrapping it around Reyna's bleeding leg. "You could at least show us a little hospitality. We _are_ your guests."

"You have just killed my _flaming-flying-goat-eagle-fish-unicorn,_" Queen Lydia corrected, "which was in his cage last time I checked."

"Well, maybe you should have checked the lock!"

Lydia shook her head, and pressed her palms to her face. "You don't understand," she said. "It's Jupiter's wrath."

Gwen frowned. "So you're saying that Jupiter unlocked the cage?"

Lydia shrugged. "I don't know. It has been happening for weeks now, though. Ever since I made the decision to except Hylla."

Reyna sat up, slowly and painstakingly. "You think my sister has something to do with this?" Her hands made fists.

"Again, I cannot be sure."

Jason sat up. "I probably shouldn't pretend to be unconscious any longer," he said placidly. "I don't think my dad would do something like this. No offense, but he has bigger fish to fry."

"That would be Neptune," Gwen pointed out, "but I have to agree. What did you do to incur Jupiter's wrath, you Highness?"

"For the last time, I cannot even begin to fathom what has displeased the lord of the sky." Lydia looked tired.

"But the prophecy said, 'Jupiter's wrath is what you believe,'" Jason said. "Wouldn't that mean…"

"Reyna?" someone called. "Reyna!"

Hylla rushed up. Her dark brown eyes were wide, and her hair – Hylla's beautiful hair was gone, chopped off at the shoulders and not pulled back in its usual braid. She was wearing some kind of jousting armor.

"Are you okay?" Hylla glared at Lydia. "What are you all standing around for?" she demanded. "My sister is bleeding to death here!" Hylla gave Jason a cursory glance. "What is the boy doing here?"

"He's the son of Jupiter, deserter," Gwen snapped.

Hylla scowled deeply. "I am not a deserter."

"Gwen, she's right," Reyna said, her breath hitching when Hylla nudged her leg. "Hylla was given a choice, and she chose the Amazons. You can't blamer her for that."

"Sh, Rey," Hylla shushed. "You shouldn't be talking right now."

"I injured my leg, not my vocal chords."

Lydia uncrossed her arms. "Hylla, please take them to the infirmary."

"And the boy?" Hylla snarled at Jason.

"Hylla," Reyna whispered. "He's alright. Jason's our friend."

"He's the son of Jupiter!" Hylla snapped, helping her sister up roughly. "As if our luck could get any worse."

"I invited him," Queen Lydia said, looking at Jason, whose blue eyes searched their faces curiously while the rest of him was curled lazily up on the rock-hard cement floor like it was the worlds most comfortable featherbed. "Unless you are intentionally insulting my judgment, I suggest you take them all to infirmary and request medical attention for your sister _and_ the boy."

Hylla bowed. "Yes, your Majesty."

The queen stalked off.

Jason jumped up. "That was exciting. I was expecting some body slamming, though."

Hylla glared at Gwen. Gwen glared right back. "Maybe you won't be disappointed," Hylla said.

"Girls." Jason smiled.

"Jason, you're okay, right?" Reyna asked, gritting her teeth as she tried to place weight on her leg. It didn't hurt that badly; if the need arose, she could walk, maybe even run. But Jason shouldn't be able to. The fall he took – dropping him on his head from five feet up would have produced the some results. He should be concussed at the least, but he looked totally fine.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he gazed at her coolly. "You kind of did save my life, and my leg isn't spurting blood."

Reyna looked down at her leg. It was covered in slick, scarlet blood that dripped past Gwen's sweatshirt.

"But you…" Reyna felt dizzy and her mouth was dry. "You fell and hit your head. I saw…"

"You did hit your head pretty hard, Jason," Gwen said, frowning. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"What can I say? I'm used to it." Jason tapped his skull and grinned. "Hard as a rock."

Hylla looked at Reyna. "How do you feel? Is that idiot bothering you?"

"No, Hylla." Reyna sighed. Tears stung her eyes, her leg hurt so much, but she held them back.

"I could –" Hylla began mutinously.

"Lay off," Gwen snapped. "Can't we all pretend to be friends for two seconds?"

"I don't think that's going to happen," Hylla snapped, "so why don't you just shut up and help my sister?"

"I am!"

"By covering her leg with that dirty sweater? By the way, you look like a hooker in that shirt!"

"That's more than you did! And you look like a MAN in that armor!"

"Body slam time?" Jason suggested, his eyes bright.

"Stop, both of you!" Reyna shouted.

Hylla stopped then, red-faced, in front of a set of large swinging doors. Jason pushed them open.

An Amazon warrior with glasses perched on her small nose looked up from a book in her lap. She set the book on a coffee table which was in between the chair she sat in and one of the only empty cots in the room, and studied them inquisitively. "Can I help you?" she asked, puzzled when she saw Jason.

"Why, yes," he said. "As you can see, Reyna here is bleeding up a storm."

Her eyes roved the group, landing behind them on the trail of Reyna-blood. "That is unfortunate," she said ruefully, rising. "This place has to pass health inspection, you know. Bring her in, please."

The room was bigger than Reyna had expected. It stretched as far as she could see, though that wasn't say much; her vision was clouding, and her head was pounding. There were at least fifty cots, but only about ten of them were unoccupied. Gwen and Hylla helped Reyna to the nearest vacancy.

The Amazon was buzzing around the room, gathering supplies from various cabinets. "My name is Cara," she said. "Welcome to my humble home."

"You live here?" Jason asked, flopping down in the chair beside Reyna's bed and placing his dirty sneakers right by her face. She tried to push them away, but her arm felt rubbery.

Hylla did the honors for her. "Out of the chair, _boy_."

Jason looked at her. "Are you going to make me stand in the corner, too?"

"No arguing around that patient," Cara insisted. "And to answer your question, yes, I do live here."

"Don't you ever get sick?" Jason questioned, ignoring Hylla glaring daggers at him.

"No." Cara beamed. "Daughter of Apollo, god of medicine, just like my sister here." She pointed at Gwen.

Gwen looked confused. "I don't think…"

"I can see that family resemblance," Cara persisted. "Your eyes are just like Dad's."

"You haven't been claimed yet, Gwen," Jason pointed out.

"Don't remind me."

It seemed strange to Reyna that Gwen wasn't claimed. She hadn't mentioned it before. She wondered why – it wasn't anything to be ashamed of; there were plenty of kids who weren't claimed, though they _were_ all younger than Gwen.

"Can we just skip to the part where you bandage my sister's leg?" Hylla asked, tapping her foot.

"I think Gwen can do that," Cara said.

Gwen looked confused. "No way am I letting her get near Reyna again!" Hylla said.

Reyna heard Jason snap his fingers from the chair. "Gwen," he said, jumping up. Reyna saw him run over to a cabinet and pull out a pair of scissors.

Jason's back was turned, but she heard a snip and wince. Blood was oozing from Jason's finger when he turned around.

"Here," he said, holding the digit out to Gwen. "Touch it!"

"I am not touching your blood!"

Cara, looking serene, handed Jason a tissue, which he cleaned the blood with. Closing her eyes and turning her face, Gwen prodded the cut.

Everyone gasped. Cara looked triumphant. "Do you believe me now?"

Reyna pulled herself up to see what was going on, but Cara pushed her back down and continued working on her leg. Jason was staring at his finger in amazement. As he turned it, Reyna could see no trace of the incision but a pink mark.

"I – I had no idea," Gwen whispered.

"How could you not?" Hylla demanded.

"I don't make a habit of touching other people's wounds," Gwen said, rolling her eyes. "Cara, do you think I could… try it on Reyna's leg?"

"Be my guest!" Cara said.

Gwen stepped hesitantly over to Reyna's cot. Her fingers were cold on Reyna's flesh, so cold that she shivered.

Reyna scanned everyone's faces, to avoid looking at her wound. Everyone, even Cara was transfixed.

"Oh, my gods," Hylla breathed.

"I think it's finished," Gwen said. She lifted her blood-covered hand. "Can you stand, Reyna?"

Reyna looked at her leg and was astonished. It looked as though the flesh had somehow knitted itself together with invisible thread. What Gwen had done wasn't at all like the normal healing process.

She rolled off the bed and tested her balance. The skin felt tight, like it might split at any given moment. She sat down on the edge of the bed, dizzy.

"It feels weird," she admitted. "And my head still hurts."

Gwen laid a hand on one of Reyna's eyebrows. The pain in her head dissipated.

"That's what I did to Jason," she remembered. "I was touching his hair. That must have healed his concussion!"

"Your power is very rare," Cara said, her eyes alight. "It only occurs in powerful children of Apollo."

"That doesn't explain why her powers waited until just now to kick in," Jason said.

"Powers like these tend to reveal themselves in situations of peril," replied Cara.

"I've been in perilous situations before –"

"I can vouch for that," Jason agreed.

"– So why couldn't I heal anyone then?"

"One of life's many mysteries." Cara shrugged. "Now, Queen Lydia would kill to have someone like you, sweetheart; these men could be up and at it again in seconds! So what do you say? Join up?"

* * *

><p><strong>A cliffie. Sorry :) I'll try to update soon! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapters. I encourage you to continue doing so. If you're waiting impatiently, you can browse my other stories, Flattery (which I really need to update), and The Other Side. Review them, too:)<strong>

**Love you guise!**

**-seastar**


	11. Author's updatenote

**Hola, everyone :D**

**I haven't worked on this story in like 8 months… but I was thinking about it, I really was! I wanted to wait until I read the Mark of Athena, to fulfill my Jeyna craze, but according the internet spoilers, there wasn't much of that, and according to my bank account, I won't be reading the book anytime soon lol. Maybe I can get a bootleg copy online. Please don't sue me for saying that. I JUST WANT TO READ IT! Anyway, whenever I have time, I will start working on a new chapter to update. I still have the plot line (somewhere in my house; that's what I get for actually writing it on paper, I guess), so it won't take me too long.**

**Just a side note, the song I'm listening to: "C'est La Mort" by the Civil Wars :) Super cute and relaxing and inspiring. Gets those creative juices flowing, so check it out!**


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